“Fear Not, I Am with Thee”

President Henry B. Eyring is in the First Presidency. Right before his talk, the choir sang the hymn “How Firm a Foundation.” President Eyring said the promises in that hymn are true.

One verse says, “Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed, / For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.” That means Heavenly Father and Jesus are with us. We don’t need to be afraid. God will help us, make us strong, and help us stand.

When President Eyring was a little boy, he asked his mother, “Mother, why is life so hard?” She smiled and said, “Hal, of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. Life is a test.” His mother was sick for most of her life, but she knew God was with her, and He helped her.

President Eyring said God lets life be hard sometimes because hard things help us grow and become ready to live with Him. Jesus understands when we are sad. He has carried our sorrows. He knows each of us perfectly.

When President Eyring’s mother was very sick at the end of her life, she had only one picture on her wall, a picture of the Savior. She put it where she could see it from her bed. His father slept on a little bed next to her in the hospital so he could help her at night. After she died, his father went and shook the hand of every nurse who helped her, to say thank you.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught that God notices us and watches over us, and that He usually helps us through another person. That means God sends people to help us. And He can send us to help others!

President Eyring thanked people who help. Some people pray to know who needs help, and then they reach out. Some people smile at missionaries and say kind words to them. Some people pray for their bishop and teachers and thank them.

Alma taught that when we are baptized, we promise to help carry each other’s burdens, to be sad with people who are sad, and to comfort people who need comfort. When we do that, we help Jesus keep His promise: “Fear Not, I Am with Thee”

A scripture for this talk: Isaiah 41:10. The Lord says we do not need to be afraid, because He is with us.

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency spoke right after the choir sang “How Firm a Foundation.” He said the hymn speaks of promises that will become more and more precious in the time ahead. “My message today is that the promises in that hymn are true,” he said. Its words come from Isaiah 41 and have become a comforting guide for him.

He read the promises again: “In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health, / In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth, / At home or abroad, on the land or the sea— / As thy days may demand, … so thy succor shall be. / Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed, / For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. / I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand.” He pointed out that the promise isn’t that trials will be removed.

His mother taught him that when he was little. He asked, “Mother, why is life so hard?” She smiled and said firmly, “Hal, of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. Life is a test.” Years later he realized that she was passing through her own tests. Since girlhood she had diseases that caused lifelong health problems. But because she knew the words “Fear Not, I Am with Thee” were true, the Lord’s promise was fulfilled for her.

Why does a loving God allow life to be so hard? President Eyring said it is because we must grow spiritually to live in His presence. So Heavenly Father gave us a Savior and agency to choose to keep His commandments, repent, and come unto Him. The Savior has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows. He knows you perfectly. Our trials are all different, but the test is the same: will we do whatever the Lord commands?

At the end of her life, his mother was bedridden. The only picture on her wall was of the Savior, hung where she could see it. His father put a cot next to her hospital bed to help her at night. After she died, he walked the hospital floor to thank and shake hands with every nurse who had helped her.

President Eyring said this shows that the Lord sends faithful disciples to help him keep his promise. He quoted President Spencer W. Kimball: “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.”

The rest of his talk thanked those who help. Many pray to know whom to help, and when a face or name comes to mind, they reach out. Even simple attention shows people the Lord knows and loves them. Many encourage discouraged missionaries. Even a warm smile can strengthen their faith. Many pray for Church leaders and show appreciation, becoming part of the Lord’s answer to those leaders’ prayers.

He quoted Alma: if we want to be called God’s people, we must be willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light, willing to mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those who need comfort. The Lord gives us the great blessing and trust of helping Him keep His promise. That is why we take courage whenever we hear, “Fear Not, I Am with Thee”

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, followed the choir’s performance of “How Firm a Foundation.” He said, “The hymn we just heard sung by the choir speaks of promises which will become more important and more precious in the time ahead for all of us and for those we love.” He added, “My message today is that the promises in that hymn are true.” Its lyrics, drawn from Isaiah 41, have become a comforting guide to him.

He read them again: “In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health, / In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth, / At home or abroad, on the land or the sea— / As thy days may demand, … so thy succor shall be. / Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed, / For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. / I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, / Upheld by my righteous, … omnipotent hand.” These promises grow more precious as we move through our own and our loved ones’ challenges. And, importantly, the promise is not for the removal of trials.

His mother taught him that early. As a little boy he asked, “Mother, why is life so hard?” She smiled and said firmly, “Hal, of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. Life is a test.” Years later he realized she spoke those words while passing through her own tests, rising up through a lifetime of terrible medical trials. She had been diagnosed as a girl with diseases that caused lifelong health challenges. “But because she knew the words ‘Fear not, I am with thee’ were true, the Lord’s promise was fulfilled for her.”

Why would a loving, all-powerful God allow our test to be so hard? “It is because He knows that we must grow in spiritual cleanliness and stature to be able to live in His presence.” To make that possible, the Father gave us a Savior and agency to choose by faith to keep His commandments, repent, and come unto Him. The Savior has not only felt grief, he has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows. He knows you perfectly. He knows your heart. Trials vary as widely as God’s children, but what is being tested is the same at all times in all lives and for every person: will we do whatsoever the Lord our God will command us? (Abraham 3:25).

In her last days his mother was bedridden. The only picture she placed on her wall was of the Savior, hung where she could see it from her bed. His father placed a cot beside her hospital bed to help her immediately during the night. After she died, his father walked the hospital ward to thank and to shake the hand of every nurse who had helped her. He told that story to offer evidence that the Lord sends faithful disciples to help him keep his promise to succor others in their distress. As President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.”

The rest of the talk was gratitude, thanking those who have responded to the call to be the Lord’s servants and encouraging others to join in the hard days ahead. He described what many already do. Some pray consistently to know whom the Lord would have them help, and when a face or a name comes to mind, they reach out; even simple attention is evidence to the person that the Lord knew and loved them. Many recognize a discouraged missionary as an invitation to lift a servant of Jesus Christ. Missionaries everywhere are being stretched and need encouragement, and kindness even for a few seconds or simply a warm smile can strengthen their faith that the Lord is watching over them.

Many pray regularly for the Lord’s servants in whatever calling they hold. “Every one of them is praying every day and every night to know what to do to better serve others and for strength to carry on. You are an important part of the Lord’s answers to their prayers for assurance.” Expressions of appreciation and confidence help leaders feel that God called them, knows them, and has guided them.

Another opportunity comes when we invite the Holy Ghost to show us how to help the Lord comfort those pleading for it. Alma taught that those who desire to be called God’s people must be willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light, willing to mourn with those that mourn, yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort (Mosiah 18:8–9). The Lord will comfort all who try to follow Him, and He offers us the great blessing and trust of helping Him do it. He said, “That is a reason we shed tears of joy and take courage whenever we hear the words ‘Fear not, I am with thee,’ and we are touched that He offers us the trust of helping and loving others.” He testified that the Lord keeps His promises both through the Holy Spirit and through his loving true faithful disciples.